The Fabled Coast Legends & Traditions from Around the Shores of Britain & Ireland

Anyone with a love of the British coast will know that the shores of these islands are steeped in intriguing tales and ancient traditions. From stories of pirates and smugglers to accounts of ghost ships and sea serpents, via wreckers' sayings, fishermen's prayers and sailors' rituals, no matter where you look you'll find an astonishingly rich variety of local legends, customs and superstitions. In The Call of the Sea, renowned folklorists Jennifer Westwood and Sophia Kingshill gather together many of the most enthralling yarns from Great Britain and Ireland, tracing their origins and examining what basis - if any - they have in fact. Does the lost land of Lyonesse, site of King Arthur's final battle, really exist? Why did Scottish Highlanders believe that seals were enchanted royalty? Did the mermaid market on the Channel Islands ever happen? Along the way, they breathe life into ancient stories such as the tale of 'Jack the Painter', whose chains may be heard rattling in Portsmouth Harbour on a windy night, and the Fata Morgana, through which you can see a ghostly city off the coast of Kent. The result is a unique picture of our coastal heritage and the stories that are such an integral part of our Island history.